Coming to Terms
by Arabella D
Summary: "I'm very sorry … I must have brought all your memories back by the way that I had attacked you …"


Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight!

**Coming to Terms**

His body ached with fatigue after the last mission he had been assigned to. It was supposed to be a piece of cake for him but the report had many details missing such as the exact whereabouts of the level E and how many they were. The report said that there were two vampires but it turned out that there were six in all and it took all Zero had for him to remain collected and finish his job without dying!

For an instant he thought that he would die on that assignment for when he was running after the four of the level E's, the fifth had tackled him from behind and sent him stumbling down a small precipitate and lose consciousness. When he came to about half an hour later he was stunned that the vampires had ignored him and went to hide instead. They could have easily rounded up on him and finished him off. On top of all he had been bleeding from a cut on his temple and several other scratches on his hands and feet. From experience he could tell that something had been going on in the period that he had been unconscious for level E's normally become more uncontrollable when they smell blood.

But alas everything has gone accordingly and after he had killed the vampires, which he had found cowering in an old abandoned church not far away from where he was, he had made his way home and was currently antagonizing on whether to go straight to sleep or bath first to remove all the grim off him.

He was also starting to feel hungry for blood due to the exertion he went through … and like this he wouldn't be able to sleep not even if he wanted to so he decided on taking a hot bath. This would deal with his hunger for blood for if a normally if a person is exposed in or water for more than 10 minutes the blood pressure lowers and may lead to the person losing consciousness. He supposed that for someone like him it would take more than 10 minutes to take action but it was worth the wait if he had to fall unconscious and forget his hunger. What he didn't take into account was the fact that he had been injured and lost quite some blood. Like this he was already weak and after a few minutes that he hit the bath he started to feel dizzy and fell unconscious without having the care of getting out so as not to drown.

Kaname had been watching over Zero the whole day ... actually for quite some time now! The younger vampire didn't know that otherwise he would have freaked out. It was a good idea that Aido succeeded to find the charm to mask his smell. Earlier that day he had gone after Zero during his hunting mission. He had seen the way the hunter had stumbled down but was unable to do anything to help otherwise Zero would have blamed him and would have stopped him from following around. So he had set in a nearby tree to watch over while trying to distract himself from the heavenly smell of Zero's blood which he supposed that he was forbidden to touch. When the level E's had approached Zero to finish him off he had let his presence be felt and thus frightened them off.

He felt so bound to Zero that he was compelled to trail after him like a little lost puppy to make sure that Zero wasn't hurt. On other occasions he would have seen this as weakness but now he didn't even think of it anymore. If you asked him a couple of months ago he would have said that he didn't give a damn to what happened to the Level E. But after that faithful night in which he had let Zero drink from him a one-way bond of sorts had formed and it was affecting him an awful lot. He was always eager to have Zero drinking from him or at least to have Zero acknowledge his presence which almost never happened. The thing that worried him the most was that he could feel the others feelings to a certain extent and whenever they met he could feel the hatred of the other rolling of him.

At the moment he himself was taking a quick shower before night classes begin. He doubted that Zero would be present as one of the prefects since he was probably feeling tiered. Also Kaname made a mental note to pass by his room later during the night. Surely the hunter would need his blood tonight and he was tempted to just go to the hunter's room before classes!

**Kaname's POV**

He was nowhere to be seen as I went into his room … but he has to be here somewhere because I can smell him. As soon as I entered the bathroom I saw him half submerged in the bath. His head was bent forward and from my point of view I couldn't make out whether his nose was above or below water and I panicked! My mind was drawing up the worse possible possibilities. What would I do if he had to die or be hurt just because I wasn't near when he needed me!

Running the rest f the way I pulled him upwards into a sitting position in the bath and tilted his head backwards so that it would be easier to breathe. Luckily I could still make out the sound of his heart and the small rise and fall of his chest.

Not knowing what else I could do, I just slit my wrist and was going to put it against his mouth so that he could drink and become conscious but as the scent of my blood hit the air his blood red eyes opened and turned to face in my direction. As I stared into them I could feel dread snaking itself into me. I couldn't find any of the old Zero in them and I took a step back fearing what this Zero could do to me.

I didn't have time to react or even realize what was happening as Zero flew from the bath and slammed in me sending me sprawling on the floor. His hands slammed mine above my head locking them in place as I tried to push him off of me while his teeth sank into my neck without any warning making it a much more painful experience to me. He was drinking so hard that I started to feel dizzy and I was helpless as I lied there on the cold floor, water seeping through my clothes. Slowly I started to lose consciousness while wishing that Zero would come to his senses and stop …

**Zero's POV**

Blood …

How sweet and thick ….

His blood is so heavenly for a less of a better word to describe it.

Slowly the beast inside of me started to retract and I started to become more conscious of the things around me. Slowly I became aware of how unresponsive the person beneath me has become and when I pulled back I was horrified to find the pureblood prince looking so vulnerable sprawled on my bathroom floor with his clothes all wet and his bruised wrists above his head. The wounds that I had made in his neck didn't heal immediately as it normally does due to the amount of blood I had taken.

"Kuran … Kuran, come on wake up and stop playing you damn stupid games" I called out whishing with all I had that he'd wake up, even if he'll start glaring at me … I don't care as long as he wakes up!

"Kaname … please!" At least I could still make out the so very slow rhythmic beat of his heart ... but it's so very faint. What can I do to help him? I'm afraid to give him my blood. The image of Shizuka and what she did is still so fresh into my mind even after all these years so that option was out. The only thing I can do is to try to make as comfortable as I can.

Gods what have I done? I was going to kill someone even if I had sworn to never fall into the state of taking blood without being conscious of what I'm doing. And what was Kaname doing in my room? Lately he had been coming to me when it was time to feed but I never took notice of such detail. I wonder how he realizes whenever I need blood.

My mind started to think slowly what would be best to be done and I hurried into my adjoining bedroom to retrieve some clothes for myself and a loose shirt for Kaname. After dressing myself I removed Kaname's school blazer and shirt and set myself on the task of cleaning his neck from all the dried blood with a wet washcloth and dabbing his chest from the water that had seeped into his cloths. Trying to dress him into my shirt was quite a feat since he wasn't helping in anyway just lying there! My shirt arrived to mid-thigh so that I didn't need to dress him into one of my trousers.

After removing his trousers and dabbing his feet dry I picked him up, carried him to my bed and covered him up. He was shivering from the effects of excessive blood loss and it was my entire fault. I didn't know what to do to help him because even if he is my sworn enemy I still didn't want this fate to befall him. My mind is telling me that he deserved something like this due to his cocky behavior but deep down I knew that I never wanted to hurt him like this.

I sat down beside him on the bed and watched over him for the rest of the night. His condition didn't change much and he was still unconscious in my bed. Sometime after 2 in the morning my eyes started to close by themselves even if I willed myself to stay awake … and after some time darkness enveloped me.

It didn't last long as some small noises started to tug at my consciousness. The site of Kaname trashing on my bed, making whimpering noises and gasping for breath greeted me when I opened my eyes. He was drenched in sweat and had managed to tangle himself in the bed sheets. His hair was sticking to his face and his hands where wounding themselves around his neck. Tears were starting to make a path for themselves down his face making him look helpless.

… Someway I had to snap him out of it and I was very much aware that calling him wouldn't be enough. I crawled halfway on the bed and tried shaking him awake but it was to no avail! Trying to pry his hands off his necked also proved to be an impossible feat as even in an unconscious state Kaname had superior strength. On a whim I got him in a sitting position and embraced him to me whispering half words designed to sooth the distressed.

After 5 minutes of such madness he started to calm down. His hands dropped from his neck one wounding itself around my waist and the other gripping my shirt while his face buried itself in my neck. I continued my mantra of half words while rubbing his back in a soothing motion and rocking us back and forth. At long last his breathing evened out but he was still trembling from the aftershock.

I turned my face to look at him and was surprised to find that his eyes were half open. I thought that as soon he'd come to his senses he would start accusing me of what I have done to the pureblood prince, punish me in some evil way that only he would be able to come up with and leave to his dorm immediately. When he felt me shifting he looked up, rendering me speechless.

His eyes … they were like a bottomless pit full of emotions which described all of his pains and I lost myself into them until he looked the down ashamed that he couldn't put his customary cold stare. It hit me at that moment that Kaname could be as vulnerable as everyone around. He looked aloof because he held everyone at bay but deep down he was still a person.

On a whim I tilted his head back making him look into my eyes, I had to tell him and I had to make him understand. "Kaname … I-I'm sorry of how I attacked you … the deities only know what would have happened if … if I hadn't stopped! I'm truly sorry that I can never be up to your expectations of protecting Yuki when I am not even able to restrain myself from these stupid, irrational urges"

**Kaname's POV**

When I woke from that nightmare, I found myself pressed against Zero's chest … surely I was still dreaming but then again I surely couldn't come up with the half words that he was uttering together with the warmth I was feeling spreading in me by his light touches. Then again it was only in my dreams that Zero held me close … Dream or not I felt comforted and safe into his arms and I didn't want to let go for dear life so I wound my hands around his waist and into his shirt while burying my face into his neck. His arms remained where they were and he continued to caress my back trying to comfort me. I was still shaken from the nightmare I just had and from the massive amount of blood I had previously lost.

I felt him shift and I tilted my head up only to see him looking down at me. He kept on looking at me as if seeing me for the very first time and I was suddenly shy to keep looking at him so as boldly as I could I shifted my gaze towards the bed … only to have it pulled back. Probably it is the first time that Zero is able to see through my mask and I was shocked that instead of disgust at my weakness he seemed … concerned about my state he wanted me to talk to him. That much I read from his gaze but I didn't know where to start and I was so ashamed of myself for acting so weak. Here I was the pureblood prince reduced to crying in front of the man that ignored me for the best part of the time.

"Kaname … I-I'm sorry of how I attacked you … the deities only know what would have happened if … if I hadn't stopped! I'm truly sorry that I can never be up to your expectations of protecting Yuki when I am not even able to restrain myself from these stupid, irrational urges" I couldn't believe my ears. Zero was apologizing for what he had done … does this mean that he harbors some other feeling for me other than hate?

"Will you tell me what happened back there?" he asked me referring to the nightmare I just had. I was silent for some time but then I made up my mind that if Zero was being so nice to me I should tell him at least half of it.

What I didn't count on was the fact that if I start talking I wouldn't be able to stop. It was nice that after so long of keeping it only to myself I could let it out … tell someone who could understand me.

"What I dream about is of something that happened many years ago … I was still a little kid at the time. When I lived with my parents I didn't have to worry about things and I didn't pay much attention to other matters. My parents would always protect me from any harm. Their aim was to bring humans and vampires to live together without any side taking advantage on the other." The thought of my parents made me smile. They were such gentle people.

"My uncle was always against this project. He was envious of my parents even if he himself was a pureblood and he was always plotting and trying to find a way to destroy them … and me. Then my parents died … were k-killed … and I was left in this word to fend for my own. I-I realized that Rido would stop at nothing to get what he wants … even try to destroy his own nephew and I came to this realization in the worst possible manner … After 2 weeks from their death I was still into a shocked state of how my life was going to change and how alone I was now … and I was still getting my mind around the fact of all the responsibilities that fell on my shoulders … I was the prince of vampires after all. I wished to continue my parent's project so as their work wouldn't have been for nothing." Silent tears started to make their way down my face and I had to pause in my story with the anguish of what I knew came afterwards.

"… That afternoon my uncle came to visit me. I didn't know what was on his mind … to me he was just my only family left and the one that would be able to help me get over the fact that my parents were dead … maybe even help me in my project. As my parents were benevolent people they never told me anything bad about Rido, probably they were still hoping that he would change. I didn't know that I should expect the worse from him and he knew that I was ignorant to what he really was. He went to my fathers' study and sat in his chair beckoning me to him and sending everyone away."

"…" Feeling my distress Zero hugged me closer to himself reminding me that now I wasn't alone. I tried to school myself and sooth the sobs which threatened to tear their way from my throat showing to Zero how much is still hurt to think about these things.

"Faithfully I went to him … and it was the worst mistake ever. He pulled me in his lap and drank from me … without any warning or anything … A-After he was done he shoved me into the corner telling me that from now on I'll have to listen to him and him alone … be his slave and toy for his capricious notion and … and that all I will ever be good is at … at p-pleasuring others. He left me there with my blooded neck, shivering and … and crying for the rest of the day. When he came back he pulled me from the scruff of my neck and drank again … I-I was to go to him whenever he ordered me to or else he would have to hurt me badly."

"He had free reign over my blood … he took continuously and with cruelty never caring enough to see how I was after the ordeal. I felt dirty and weak to not be able to stand up to him. I was …"

At this stage I had to stop because I felt like I was shattering into small pieces … I had already revealed more than enough about myself then I would have ever said to anybody else. I was shaking all over. The recounting of my life's happening left me shattered because it is very difficult to tell to someone else. Previously when I told no one it was like I wasn't acknowledging what happened to me … but now I can't because I had to go and tell Zero all of this. At least it is said that talking is healing … maybe this will help me.

"There is more to the story isn't there" Zero's soft voice filtered through my thoughts bringing me back to reality yet again. I nodded not knowing what else to say. Sighing Zero unwounded his arms from around me and got up from the bed. The warmth that I was feeling before vanished and an involuntary whimper left my mouth. Again I looked down ashamed of my helpless self but Zero just chuckled, picked me up as if I weighed nothing and headed out of the room.

"Let's get you something warm to drink … and maybe after you'll tell me the rest of it." I just nodded … having close to no energy I couldn't do anything else.

Once in the kitchen Zero sat me on the bench top while he busied himself with preparing me a drink. I must have lapsed out because after a few I was presented with a mug of something to drink. "It's just warm milk with honey" Zero said after seeing my puzzled expression. I smiled at him … he was so nice beneath the cold mask that he usually keeps in place! It made want to trust him. I was staring at him but as his gaze met mine I lowered it blushing madly at being caught. I took a tentative sip from the mug that he gave me and to my delight it was really good.

"I'm very sorry … I must have brought all your memories back by the way that I had attacked you …"

**Zero's POV**

Seeing him in this shattered state made my opinion of Kaname change. So vulnerable … and he has been keeping all this to himself for eons. To make it worse I had to attack him like that probably bringing all the past memories to surface again!

What surprised me was the fact that he was kind of 'yearning' the contact because he actually whimpered when I pulled away earlier … it makes me want to hug him and to protect him. I don't know when my opinion of him actually changed but now I know that what I felt for him during these past years have evolved into something else and more profound than simple hate.

I didn't know how to act; all I knew was that I couldn't leave him alone and do nothing to help him after he had spilled all his harbored thoughts. Now he was huddled on the bench top with the mug in his two hands looking at it the red tinge from earlier still covering his cheeks and taking small sips evey now and then.

"I'm very sorry … I must have brought all your memories back by the way that I had attacked you …" He didn't say anything and I was starting to get worried again. Have I said the wrong thing? I went near him again and brushed my fingers against the wound of the bite mark that I had left there. On a whim I lowered my face and kissed his wound licking it and giving it the attention that I had missed earlier while wounding my arms around his back again. I felt him shivering against my touch from the sensitivity of the bite area. "Go on and drink some of my blood, you need to get better"

He hesitated before answering me, his face heating up, "… would you stop caring if I were to get better?" It left me speechless … I wasn't expecting such an answer. Even in his weakened state I was expecting him to try and make me pay for the pain I caused him.

I didn't know how to answer … if I understood this all wrong I would have to suffer for the rest of my years at Cross Academy but … "Only if you want me to"

"I don't" and with that he started licking my neck in preparation to the penetration of his teeth. Unknowingly I shivered both from the sensation of having his mouth all over my neck and also from the fear of having someone drinking from me after the bite I had received from when I was younger. Feeling my shudder Kaname stopped. He could understand pretty well what my current thoughts were about.

"Are you sure about this? I think that before I drink your blood you should know that we will be forming a two way blood bond and …"

"I knew that already. I also figured out that the bond was affecting you quite a lot and that it was you following on all my missions getting me out of trouble when you could." He looked away blushing at being caught. "Come on drink you need to regain your strength … otherwise the other vampires would start asking questions."

**Kaname's POV**

He knew … he knew and still let it be! I totally do not understand this man! He must have seen my baffled expression because he smirked and guided my face back to his neck. This time I didn't hesitate to penetrate his neck and start drawing blood.

At this he grasped my waist in a bruising manner and buried his face in my neck breathing harshly … he wasn't used at others feeding off him and I wasn't sure if his reaction was from pain or pleasure. Slowly he seemed to relax moving closer to me and allowing better access to his neck. His blood system hasn't digested all the pureblood that he had consumed and I could still taste my blood. It will help me to heal quicker.

**Zero's POV**

He was drinking blood in a sluggish way and it made me wonder how much I have weakened the pureblood. After a few droughts I succeeded to relax in his loose embrace and realized that it was pleasure that I was actually feeling and not pain.

I could feel the two-way bond forming and from the spikes of emotions I was sure that Kaname could also feel it. It was wonderful and it gave off a sense of fullness and completeness. I felt Kaname stop drinking blood and just rest his cheek on my shoulder. I guess he was still much tiered after the whole ordeal. The story of his past will have to wait for another time.

I picked him up and went back to my bedroom, laying him on the bed with all the gentleness I could muster. Through the bond I was aware of his feelings towards me and how he was currently feeling. The message that I was getting across was of how tiered Kaname was and that he wanted me to stay with him. As soon as his head touched the pillow and my arms wound around him for the umpteenth time today he was fast asleep leaving me to my own thoughts.

Now I could understand how Kaname had been able to know when I was hungry for blood or when I was in danger. The bond offered so much! I had this urge to protect him … I had never thought that I'd be in this situation with the pureblood prince of all the people. My life would now change somewhat … I wander what the other vampires would think … well they'd surely do whatever Kaname would tell them to …

Slowly even I started to feel tiered and just like that I fell asleep near the pureblood prince who brought so much havoc into my life and was currently looking too damn cute for his own good.


End file.
